Gingrich defends Romney: Obama supporters need 'someone to take care of them'

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on Monday defended Mitt Romney, insisting the Republican presidential nominee wasn't wrong to claim President Barack Obama's supporters were government-dependent "victims" who paid no income taxes.

"Go watch tapes from the Democratic convention," Gingrich told Yahoo News. "You have people who had extraordinary opportunities in the most open society in the world who explain how they're victimized and government should take care of them. It's the heart of the Obama majority, people who would like someone to take care of them."

Last week, Romney's campaign faced a firestorm of criticism over video from a private fundraising event that took place in May.

In the video, Romney described Obama’s supporters as people “who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them.” He said it wasn't his job to worry about 47 percent of Americans because he could "never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Gingrich said it was only wrong for Romney to assume that 47 percent of Americans were not going to vote for him.

"What he was saying was specifically about voting patterns," Gingrich said. "I actually don't agree with it. I'm a Reaganite, I think that we have an opportunity to win much bigger elections. I don't believe in fighting between 47 and 53 percent. I believe in trying to get to 60 and to keep pounding away to create much bigger margins."